Fiber retainer



FIG. 3

March 1, 1966 DVQRIN ETAL 3,237,880

FIBER RETAINER Filed 001;. 1, 1963 l l l a MARTlN ovonm GILBERT a. SHELDON Z N 2 Q N IN NTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice 3,237,330 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 3,237,880 FIBER RETAINER Martin Dvorin, Brighton, and Gilbert J. Sheldon, lrondeqnoit, N.Y., assignors to Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 313,056 6 Claims. (Cl. 242125.1)

This invention relates to a fiber winding drum and more particularly to a clamp forming a part of the fiber winding drum as well as a clamp for retaining the fibers upon removal from the drum.

Subsequent to the process of winding the bundle of fibers on the periphery of the drum, the bundle of fibers must be removed without disturbing the positions of the fibers relative to each other. This is particularly true of a coherent bundle of fibers in which a predetermined orientation of fibers at one end of the bundle must be the same as at the second end to transmit an image through the bundle. Accordingly, when the bundle is removed from the winding drum this predetermined established relationship of the ends of the bundle must be maintained.

Accordingly, this invention is to provide a means in which the ends of the bundles are clamped prior to their severance to form a bundle and maintained in this fixed relationship upon removal from the drum and during subsequent processing operation on the bundle of fibers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bundle clamp which fixes the relative position of the plurality of fibers in a bundle to facilitate removal of the bundle from a winding drum.

It is another object of this invention to provide a clamping means operating as a part of the winding drum during the winding operation which is readily removable, and clamps the fibers during removal from the drum.

It is a further object of this invention to provide clamps forming a part of a winding drum having an involute surface permitting a rotating movement of the clamp as it is withdrawn outwardly from the drum while maintaining a fixed relationship of all fibers in the ends of the bundle.

The objects of this invention are accomplished by providing two clamp bases which are aligned with the periphery of the drum to form a smooth peripheral winding surface on the winding drum. Subsequent to winding of the bundle on the periphery of the drum an additional element is attached to each of the clamp bases to fix the position of each of the plurality of fibers to maintain a coherent relationship of the fibers in the end of the bundles. An involute curved surface is formed on a lateral surface of at least one of the clamp bases to permit its removal by a rotational movement in a path simulating an involute curve. This shape of surface on the clamp facilitates removal of the clamps while maintaining a fixed relationship of the ends of the bundle of fibers. The drum may be provided with a contracting means on its periphery to release the tension on the fibers to prevent slippage of the fibers in the clamp as the fibers are severed intermediate each of the two clamps.

The subsequent description and the attached drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross section view of the clamps inset in a slot of the periphery of the winding drum.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view taken on line 22 as indicated in FIGURE 3.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the upper element of the clamp.

FIG. 5 is a modification illustrating an involute curved surface on one of the clamps.

Referring to FIG. 1 a cross section is taken through the drum illustrating the two clamps in position within an axial slot in the periphery of the drum. The modified involute curves on the surfaces intermediate the two clamps is illustrated. The portion of the clamp cut away facilitates its removal, and yet permits the clamp to retain the bundle of fibers fixed in their relative position to each other.

The shaft 1 is fixed to a hub 2. The hub 2 is fastened to the disk 3 which extends radially to the outer periphery of the drum to form a flange 5t axially disposed from the winding surface 4 of the winding drum 51. FIG. 1 illustrates the clamp 5 and the clamp 6 engaging each other and positioned in the axial slot 7. The clamps are aligned with the drum periphery and form a portion of the peripheral winding surface on the drum 51. A portion of the drum periphery is cut away to form the slot 7, and also the dowel holes for the dowels 8 and 9. The dowels 8 and 9 are received within mating dowel holes in each of the two clamps 5 and 6. The dowels are retained within the clamps 5 and 6 by a close fitting toler ance and seat within the dowel holes of the drum segment with a somewhat looser fit to permit a slight pivoting action as the clamps are rotated in a path simulating an involute curve. The dowels extend into the dowel holes in the drum segment for a limited distance, and a slight clearance in the dowel holes of the drum segment allows easy removal of a rotating clamp. The clamps 5 and 6 are doweled in position to maintain an alignment, and are also fastened by the screws 10 and 11.

Referring to FIG. 2 the dowels 8 and 12 are shown inserted in the dowel holes of the drum segment 52. The screws 10 and 13 fasten the clamp 5 to the drum segment 52. Dowel holes 26 and 21 receive dowels 14 and 15 for aligning the clamp element 22 with the clamp base 16 of clamp 5. The element 22 is fitted on top of the clamp base 16 and dowels are inserted in the dowel holes 20 and 21. The screws 10 and 13 are then unscrewed from the clamp 5 while additional screws are screwed within the tapped holes 24 and 25.

FIG. 2 illustrates the clamp element 22 positioned on the clamp 5 retaining the fibers in the bundle 53 in a fixed position relative to each other prior to their removal from the periphery of the drum.

FIG. 3 illustrates a plan view of FIG. 2. The radial flange 26 is an extension of the plate 27 forming a side wall on the winding drum 51. The block 28 is fastened within the clamp 5 by the screw 29. The blocks 28 serve as knock-out blocks for removing the fiber bundle if it sticks to the peripheral surface of the clamp.

FIG. 1 includes a phantom view of the clamp 5 as it is rotated from the periphery of the drum following an involute path. The clamp rotates causing the modified involute curved surface 30 to slide by the modified involute curved surface 31 which provides the necessary clearance to permit this rotational movement. The modified involute curve is constructed in such a manner that an involute curve is equalized on the two surfaces 30 and 31 to give the same effect as if one of the surfaces formed a true involute curve and the second were a radial plane.

FIG. 4 illustrates an involute curved surface constructed in such a manner so that the clamp base 31 will rotate and lift from the axial slot 7.

During the winding operation a certain degree of tension is applied on the fiber to maintain control as it is applied to the peripheral surface of the drum. Considering the number of revolutions made by the drum for winding a single bundle the tension of each of the fibers is additive and does create considerable force. Where a large number of fibers are wound into a single bundle it is sometimes necessary that retractable means might be devised which would release the tension slightly prior to the removal of the fibers in a manner as just described.

It is not considered necessary to include this in this invention, as if the number of fibers in a bundle are not too great the bundle may be removed in a manner as illustrated.

The device described above operates in the following manner. The bundle of fibers is wound on the peripheral surface 4 of the drum which forms a circular periphery on the drum 51. The arcuate surfaces 37 and 38 on the clamp bases 16 and 17 form a continuation of the arcuate surface 4. The peripheral surface of the blocks 28 also form a continuous smooth peripheral winding surface on the winding drum 51. Once the bundle is wound on the periphery of the drum it then must be removed from the drum without disturbing the relative positions of each of the plurality of fibers. Considering that the bundle is formed of one continuous fiber the bundle must be severed prior to its removal. This is accomplished by severing the bundle intermediate the clamps and 6. Prior to the severance of the bundle the clamp elements 22 and 43 are positioned on the clamp bases 16 and 17 and firmly seated there by suitable screws.

As the bundle is severed one of the clamps is then removed. This may be accomplished by inserting a fork.

54 in the slots 44 and 45 and lifting one of the clamps out of its slot with a prying action. The bundle releases from the periphery of the drum as .it is pulled outwardly and removed from the periphery of the drum. The bundle can then be further processed in any suitable manner.

Replaceable clamps can be inserted in the slot and aligned with the dowels and screwed in place by suitable screws as described. The device provides for clamping of a bundle of fibers to firmly fix each of the plurality of fibers in a predetermined position relative to each other and maintain the position of the end of the fibers while the bundle is removed from the drum.

The preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described. Other modifications might be devised which fall within the scope of this invention which is defined by the attached claims.

We claim:

1. A removable clamp assembly for use with a fiber winding drum comprising, a winding drum having a peripheral winding surface and defining an axial slot, two clamps received within said slot having arcuate winding surfaces aligned with the peripheral surface of said drum, a lateral surface on at least one of said clamps defining a surface simulating an involute curve, means on said clamps adapted for retaining a portion of a bundle of fibers while one of said clamps is rotated and radially withdrawn from the peripheral surface of said winding drum.

2. A removable clamp assembly for use with a fiber winding drum comprising, a winding drum defining a transverse slot and having a peripheral winding surface, two clamps received in said transverse slot and having a surface forming an extension of the peripheral surface of said drum, a surface on each of said clamps on adjoining portions of said clamps defining modified involute curves, means on said clamps adapted for retaining a portion of a bundle of fibers in said clamp while said bundle is removed from the periphery of said drum.

3. A removable clamp assembly for use with a fiber winding drum comprising, a Winding drum defining a transverse slot and having a peripheral winding surface, two clamps received in said slot having peripheral arcuate surfaces adjoining the peripheral surface on said drum, a surface defining an involute curve constructed and arranged on a lateral surface of one of said clamps to permit a rotational and Withdrawing movement of said clamps while said clamp is retained at the end of the bundle of fibers.

4. A removable clamp assembly for use with a fiber winding drum comprising, a winding drum defining a transverse slot and having a peripheral winding surface, two clamps received in said slot having winding surfaces aligned with the surface on said drum, a lateral surface on said clamp defining an involute curve constructed and arranged to permit the removal of said clamp assembly while retaining the end of the bundle of fibers in fixed relation to each other as said clamp is withdrawn from the peripheral surface of said winding drum and the bundle is removed from said drum.

5. A removable clamp assembly for use with a fiber winding drum comprising, a winding drum defining a transverse slot and having a peripheral surface, two clamps received within said slot engaging each other and forming a portion of the peripheral surface of said drum, a second element associated with each of said clamps for maintaining a fixed position of the ends of a plurality of fibers, a surface on a lateral portion of at least one of said clamps constructed and arranged to permit the removal of said clamp from the periphery of said drum in a manner sim ulating an involute curve.

6. A removable clamp assembly for use with a Winding drum comprising, a winding drum defining a peripheral winding surface and having a transverse slot formed therein, two clamp means received within said slot defining arcuate surfaces forming a portion of the winding surface of said drum, an element received within at least one of said clamp means constructed and arranged to remove a segment of the arcuate surfaces and thereby facilitate release of fibers on the periphery of said drum, a lateral surface on at least :one of said clamp means constructed and arranged to permit the removal of said clamp from the periphery of said drum in a movement simulating an involute curve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A REMOVABLE CLAMP ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A FIBER WINDING DRUM COMPRISING, A WINDING DRUM HAVING A PERIPHERAL WINDING SURFACE AND DEFINING AN AXIAL SLOT, TWO CLAMPS RECEIVED WITHIN SAID SLOT HAVING ARCUATE WINDING SURFACES ALIGNED WITH THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID DRUM, A LATERAL SURFACE ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CLAMPS DEFINING A SURFACE SIMULATING AN INVOLUTE CURVE, MEANS ON SAID CLAMPS ADAPTED FOR RETAINING A PORTION OF A BUNDLE OF 